Reflection noitcelfeR
by Windbritsle
Summary: Lies. Lies. Lies! Everything Moonpaw's ever known... Shattered before her eyes by the strike of lightning that was her very reflection. In the end, it all comes down to the battle of kin to beloved, loyalty to bertayal, friend to foe... sugarcoated secrets to bitter truth. Rated for heartbreak, very mild gore, and safety.
1. Prologue

_**Windy: Hello mah friends! Windy here! I don't have time for my own one-person fanfictions, so I'm working with my so far accountless friend Naturethorn to co-write a story! Let's give a round of applause to her!**_

 _ **Naturethorn: Hi! I'm glad to be writing for all of you, and really do hope you like our writing together combined!**_

 _ **Windy: She will be writing the first half of the prologue , and I'll be editing it! I will write the second half and she's gonna edit~ But rest assured, only prologues and specials are so confusing. The rest is just one editor and one writer. On chapter one, I'm writing and Naturethorn is editing, then vice versa on chapter two, and vice versa again on chapter three…**_

 _ **Naturethorn: I'm excited for you to get started! I've been trying to get an account as soon as possible for everyone out there reading this, but I'm having several difficulties. Enjoy!**_

 _ **Windy: We also apologize for the short prologue, we didn't want to give too much away… The length of the chapters, starting from 1, will probably range from 1000 to 2000, and specials will range from 1500 to 2500! Oh yeah, the warrior names are weird on purpose, because after a certain event *Wink wink* the clans are superstitious and name their apprentices based on an event that takes place during the ceremony.**_

 _ **Naturethorn: Like the**_ _ **Survivors**_ _**series!**_

 _ **Windy and Naturethorn: All righty! Annnnd... Begin!**_

* * *

 _ **Alliances**_

 _ **ThunderClan**_

Leader: Icestar- Pale blue-gray tom

Deputy: Dewstripe- Tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Medicine Cat: Cherrywhiskers- slender tortoiseshell she-cat

Female apprentice, Spotpaw

Male apprentice, Poolpaw

Warriors:

Cloudsplash- Pale blue-gray tabby she-cat

Yellowdawn- Ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Hawktalon- Brown tabby tom with darker stripes

Apprentice, Moonpaw

Flowerdance- Tortoiseshell she-cat with beautiful yellow eyes

Sunnose- Ginger tom

Falconflight- Light gray and light brown she-cat with white speckles

Apprentice, Nightpaw

Grasstail- Tri-colored tom with a short, spiky tail

Leafheart- Tri-colored she-cat with white paws and a short, spiky tail

Frosttalon- Pale blue-gray she-cat

Lightfoot- Pale gray she-cat with white paws

Apprentices:

Spotpaw- White she-cat with light gray flecks on both flanks

Poolpaw: Light gray tom with blue eyes

Moonpaw- Beautiful slightly thick-furred silver tabby she-cat with eyes as blue and as clear as the sky

Nightpaw- Jet-black she-cat with amber eyes

Queens:

Foxtail- Red she-cat with a fluffy tail tipped with white, expecting Sunnose's kits

Elders:

Hollyflower- Jet-black she-cat with determined green eyes and a gentle temper for an elder

 _ **RiverClan**_

Leader: Dapplestar- Tortoiseshell she-cat with uneven dappled spots along her spine.

Deputy: Shortstripe- Brown tabby tom with unusually short fur for a Riverclan cat.

Medicine Cat: Sandstone- Dappled brown and yellow she-cat with stone-gray eyes.

Female apprentice, Crowpaw

Male apprentice, Leappaw

Warriors:

Dawnstripe- Orange tabby tom with brown eyes

Duskclaw- Very dark-blue she-cat with brown eyes and black claws

Ripplefur- Dark-blue tom with faint tabby stripes and blue eyes

Finscar- White tom with a long scar stretching down his spine.

Apprentice, Stonepaw

Thrushtail- Bicolor she-cat with a brown tabby tail.

Suntalon- Orange tabby she-cat with brown eyes, old enough to retire to the elder's den

Blueeyes- Dark-blue tom with pale blue eyes

Apprentice, Gillpaw

Apprentices:

Leappaw- High-energy young gray tom with bright green eyes

Crowpaw- Black she-cat with bright green eyes

Stonepaw- Gray she-cat with black flecks on fur and amber eyes

Gillpaw- White tom with pale blue eyes

Queens:

Snowtail- Black cat with a white tail, expecting an unknown father's kits

Birdspot- Bicolor she-cat with pale blue eyes, expecting Ripplefur's kits

Elders:

Gullstripe- Lilac she-cat with amber eyes and faint tabby stripes

Streamleap- Tortoiseshell tom with green eyes

 _ **WindClan**_

Leader: Rabbitstar- Dark brown tom with unusual reddish brown eyes

Deputy: Yellowleap- Long-furred dusty yellow she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cat: Daisybud- Creamy-white she-cat with wide eyes.

Female apprentice, Birdpaw

Male apprentice, Rockpaw

Warriors:

Sunnytail- Cheerful black she-cat with amber eyes

Deerfur- Brown tabby tom

Boulderpelt- Sorrel tom with bright blue eyes

Apprentice, Soilpaw

Sagenose- Brown she-cat with faint speckles

Heatherflower- Dark brown tom with violet eyes

Scarear- White she-cat with a heavily scarred ear

Apprentice, Wheatpaw

Stoneheart- Gray she-cat with amber eyes

Gingerclaws- White tom with a single orange paw

Apprentice, Littlepaw

Flamecloud- Bicolor orange and white she-cat

Apprentices:

Birdpaw: Pale orange she-cat

Rockpaw: Gray tom

Wheatpaw: Sandy brown tom

Dirtpaw: Dark brown she-cat

Littlepaw: Tiny black she-cat

Queens:

Sandpelt: Brown she-cat, expecting Heatherflower's kits

Elders:

Dusktail: Gray tom with deep blue eyes

Dawnbird: Pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Midnighteye: Black tom with deep blue eyes

 _ **ShadowClan**_

Leader: Mossstar: Cream she-cat with brown markings

Deputy: Kestrelscreech: Brown-and-black tom with a horribly scarred throat

Medicine Cat: Poolshine: Pale gray she-cat with dark amber eyes

Male apprentice, Branchpaw

Female apprentice, Sparrowpaw

Warriors:

Bluewing: Gray she-cat with bluish streaks down hide

Apprentice, Glowpaw

Lizardeyes: White she-cat with unusual pale yellow eyes

Cloudfur: Pure white tom with brilliant blue eyes

Apprentice, Whitepaw

Scalepelt: Beautiful silver she-cat

Firestep: Ginger tom with reddish brown paws and tail-tip

Apprentice, Prancingpaw

Dance: Slender white former she-rouge with black paws, tail-tip, ear-tip, and muzzle.

Sing: White former rouge with a loud voice and black paws, tail-tip, ear-tip, and muzzle.

Apprentices:

Branchpaw: Brown tom

Sparrowpaw: Brown she-cat with lighter muzzle

Glowpaw: Pale ginger she-cat

Whitepaw: Pure white she-cat

Prancingpaw: Cream tom with lively amber eyes

Queens:

Rainsong: Silver she-cat with watery blue eyes. Mother to Kestrelscreech's kits: Brookkit, Tuftkit, and Blackkit.

Elders:

None

 _ **Cats outside the Clans:**_

Cloud: Silver tabby she-kittypet with fur tipped white and brilliant amber eyes

Fuzzball: Handsome slightly thick-furred silver tabby kittypet tom with eyes as blue and as clear as the sky

 _ **Written By:**_ **Naturethorn-Windbritsle**

 _ **Edited By:**_ **Windbritsle-Naturethorn**

* * *

 _ **Prologue**_

A beautiful long-furred silver tabby she-cat with white-tipped fur bounded through the woods. A gleeful yelp pierced the cold night air, and a tom as black as the sky emerged from a nearby bush, pouncing on her playfully, careful to keep his claws sheathed. The two cats chased each other with the occasional laugh. The moon shone brightly, peering out from behind a cloud, illuminating their fur to make it seem as if it glowed. The ghostly light showed their tails entwined, their purrs growing louder and louder. "Don't you wish it could always be this way, Mistwhisker?" asked the black tom, brushing his flank against hers. Mistwhisker answered simply but with powerful emotions behind her words,"Every moment of my life, Clearsight." The two cats sat there for a few more moments, drinking in each other's sweet scent, basking in the last moments of moonlight as dusk gave way to dawn. Mistwhisker sat up suddenly, trotting away at a brisk pace. She took care not to glance behind herself, although Clearsight watched her leave with a longing look in his eyes. He didn't bother to hide his feelings as he padded away, his drooping tail leaving a thin trail in the scattered leaves. The wind sang a sad nocturne as the two cats disappeared into the shadows.

Mistwhisker swiftly swam through the river, ridding herself of her mate's scent. After scrambling onto shore, she padded towards camp, carefully choosing her path so she would leave no pawprints. Poking her head through the camp ferns, she checked the clearing. No cats were up yet. She sighed in relief, then crawled into her feathery nest in the warrior's den, decorated with colorful rocks and glistening fish scales. She turned two full circles before finally settling down, her tail-tip touching her nose. As she closed her eyes, weariness overcame her like a flood of darkness. _I don't know how much longer I can keep this up,_ she thought, then with a little sigh she drifted into sleep.

Strange, purple fog poured around Mistwhisker, lapping at her paws, clinging onto her thick, waterproof fur. She looked around, eyes filled with alarm and fear. _Does StarClan know?_ she thought, panicking. Suddenly, the bushes waved behind her. She spun around, nearly tripping on her own paws. "Who is it?" She yowled in challenge, but her voice quivered. A pair of eyes glowed from within the darkness, and from it emerged a pale gray tom with piercing blue eyes. He fixed his gaze on Mistwhisker. "My name is Jayfeather." He whispered quietly. Hearing the name, recognition filled Mistwhisker's mind, but she struggled to fix his name in one place. After a moment's hesitation, the stories about Jayfeather hit her. "Right!" She gasped. "You're the medicine cat, Clearsight's mentor!" She stared at him with horror. "Are you here to punish me?"

She tried her best to not drop her gaze. Jayfeather returned it without difficulty. "No." He murmured. "Short-lived beings, no matter who the parent, are to be respected and treated as one would treat their own." Mistwhisker's eyes slowly widened with horror and fascination. "Y-you know!" She gasped, backing away, feeling her hackles rise. Jayfeather watched her and slowly stalked towards her. His paws seemed to be gliding over the grass. "I know, and more." He rasped. "Mistwhisker, I want you to know that no matter where you go or what you do, you still won't be able to set the clans behind you. It runs too deeply in your blood." "But that life is gone, gone in a few suns," Mistwhisker snarled weakly. Jayfeather just waved his tail, his eyes piercing deep into Mistwhisker's mind. He then started to dissolve, opening his mouth as if to say one more thing. Mistwhisker backed away more hastily in greater fear, then broke into a run as the medicine cat disappeared completely, the last image of Jayfeather in her head, his mouth opened in a soundless warning, her echoing pawsteps lost in the wind.

* * *

 ** _Windy: We'll try to update at least once every week! But expect two-week, even three-week Hiatuses!_**

 ** _Naturethorn: Thanks for reading! Bye!_**


	2. To Meet Your Reflection

_**Windy: Oh, god… I cannot believe it! Two review when only 27 people read(FFF, also known as FanFiction Fail. They forgot to put it on the top of the warriors page…)!? AWESOME! Please continue supporting us, so review, favorite, and follow! Any constructive criticism is highly appreciated, too. We both have a lot to learn, for we are still very, very young. Naturethorn is unable to add her comments, so I'll say "Thank you" for everyone who read for her!**_

 _ **Special thanks to:**_

 _ **MeowKitty1912, with her advice!**_

 _ **Raven that flies at night, for her support and praise!**_

 _ **And no, Raven's Wing, you're a friend! That does not count!**_

 _ **I wonder if anyone reads Author's Notes XD**_

 _ **Anyhow… Onward!**_

 _ **Written By: Windbritsle**_

 _ **Edited By: Naturethorn**_

* * *

 _ **Chapter 1**_

Moonpaw woke to a harsh kick to her stomach. "Ow!" She complained, cracking open an eye. Above her was a cloud of black fur with two glowing, warm amber orbs. "Nightpaw!" She grunted and tried to lift herself up. "Let me goooo!" The small black paw did not retreat, though; instead, it planted itself even harder on her flank and refused to budge. "Now there's a lazy apprentice!" Her best friend teased. "C'mon," She added, finally lifting her paw and finally letting a spiky-furred Moonpaw go. "Dewstripe wants you for patrol!" Moonpaw's ears perked up at the last word. She and her friend had been made apprentices just three suns ago, recieving their clan names instead of just "Youngster" for Moonpaw and "Nightkit" for Nightpaw. They had a lot in common. They were both orphans without parents, and they made great rivals for one common lifegoal: to become the best warrior ever.

On that thought, she bounded out of the den entrance, now eager, with Nightpaw. For a moment, the bright sunlight blinded her; but as she blinked her eyes to adjust, she could make out the clan deputy, Dewstripe, organizing patrols. "Yellowdawn, I want you to take three warriors on a hunting patrol. Try the area near the lake, but don't ruffle RiverClan's fur!" At the mention of RiverClan, the tabby she-cat's eyes darkened. One of the RiverClan warriors was discovered to having secret meetings with the medicine cat, Clearsight, ten moons ago; the news led to both cats being exiled, leaving an inexperienced apprentice, Cherrypaw, as the ThunderClan medicine cat. After that, the clan leaders decided that every clan medicine cat will train two apprentices, littermates, one tom and one she-cat, whether they like it or not. Apperantly, the shadow of that time was still far from being lifted from the cats' minds. Yellowdawn was silent in thought for a moment, then proposed, "Can I have Grasstail, Lightfoot and Flowerdance?" Dewstripe took a swift glance at the three cats the ginger warrior had mentioned, then nodded briskly. "Sure." She watched as the four cats eagerly pushed their way out of the thorny camp entrance. "Frosttalon, take Leafheart and Sunnose to the WindClan border. Make sure to patrol the nearer half of the RiverClan border," she continued. "Watch out for the RiverClan cats especially! Falconflight, take Hawkeyes and both of your apprentices to the ShadowClan border, the other half of the stream, and the twolegplace border. I know it's a lot of work," She added kindly to an astonished Moonpaw. "But we don't have enough warriors after the... You know, the event from 9 moons ago. And especially after we lost Snakefang last sun." Her voice quivered at the mention of her dead mate, but Moonpaw was not listening.

 _I don't know!_ Moonpaw wailed silently. _None of you speak of it, and I wasn't there!_ She licked her nose, then nodded and forced sympathy into her eyes, pretending that she knew what the tabby deputy meant. "Yeah. That event. Right. I _totally_ know what you're talking about." She muttered, her voice dripping with sarcasm, after padding away with the other three cats, and felt a tail flick sternly over her ears. "Do not speak about your deputy like that!" Hawkeyes exclaimed, his tail waving. "Yes, Hawkeyes. Can we go now? I want to get back before Poolpaw gobbles up everything in the fresh-kill pile," Moonpaw added. "Yeah, remember that squirrel, the mice, half a shrew, and a bird's wing!?" Nightpaw piped in. Hawkeyes glared at the two apprentices, while Falconflight simply watched with amusement in her eyes. "We might as well get going..." She announced with a warmer smile. "We do want to get our patrol done before sundown, right?"

"Oh, yes!" Nightpaw squealed. "Remember the time when Sunnose decided that he wasn't going to finish what he called 'the longest patrol since StarClan'?"

"Of course!" Moonpaw grinned deeply at the reminder. "Dewstripe made him go on dawn patrol for twelve suns! But he deserved it," she added. "I can't believe that Foxtail, the nicest cat ever, can become mates with the biggest pain in the tail of all times!"

"Enough chatter!" Hawkeyes scolded sternly. The two apprentices fell silent immediately. They finished the first part of their patrol at the ShadowClan border in complete silence, as every time one of the apprentices opened her mouth to start chattering like a squirrel, he glared with a "I-will-shred-you-if-you-talk" look in his eyes.

Normally, Moonpaw wasn't very glad to see twolegplaces; it just reminded her of how her former caretaker, Lily, had died. _Ran over by a monster,_ she thought, the horrible scene of death replaying in her head.

Shaking her head to rid herself of that dreadful thought, she bounded after her friend, who was far in the lead. When she was directly behind Nightpaw, she matched her pace to the black apprentice and flared her nostrils, searching for strange scents. Suddenly, Nightpaw stopped dead in her tracks, causing Moonpaw to bump harshly into her. "Ouch," Moonpaw complained. "why did you stop?" She padded around NIghtpaw, and saw her eyes widened and her mouth gaped. Following her gaze, her heart skidded to a halt. Resting on the roof of a black monster was a cat who could have been her; the silky, silver fur; the shape of the darker tabby stripes, and the eyes, clear blue like the sky. "Wha-" She stammered, then realized with a jolt that that cat was a young _tom_. The tom clearly saw her, too. He stared at her with huge, curious eyes, giving her a twice-over. Then he gracefully leapt down from the monster, and strolled towards the patrol serenely. _Is he a threat? Why does he look so much- no, exactly like me? Why is he on top of that monster?_ As many questions as there are stars flooded into Moonpaw's head, making it pound in pain. Beside her, Falconflight arched her back and hissed, hackles slowly rising, Hawkeyes doing the same. Nightpaw simply stood and watched, dumbfounded. "Stop right there!" Hawkeyes hissed as the tom placed a paw over the border. "What do you want?" The tom seemed taken aback, then answered, "Um, I just wanted to take a look." He licked his chest fur, embarrassed. "Well, it's not every day you see a cat almost exactly like yourself, right?" He took another step, this time more hesitant. "Don't move." Falconflight ordered, authority pouring into her voice. _She would make a great leader,_ Moonpaw thought out of habit of gossiping about cats with Nightpaw.

"Um, okay." The tom gulped, then saw the cat's thorn-sharp claws. "Please don't hurt me! I'm just curious!" And as he backed away slowly, he added, "Are you the wild fighting cats?" Hawkeyes searched him for a sense of hostility, then snorted. "We don't just fight!" He puffed out his chest in pride. "We are warriors of ThunderClan! We hunt for our clan, work with our clanmates, and take care of our sick and weak!" Then he narrowed his eyes, realizing he was in control, and had no reason to explain. "Leave our border." He spat. The tom stepped back and out of ThunderClan soil. "There." Falconflight announced. "Do not come back again." With one last look at Moonpaw, the tom broke into a run and disappeared behind a fence.

"Kittypets." Hawkeyes snorted in disgust. "I didn't see his collar under all that thick fur. Can't believe I figured him a threat," He added.

"But it is strange." Falconflight murmured, then turned her gaze to Moonpaw. "Moonpaw, did you know of any kin? Maybe he's kin of yours," Moonpaw shook her head helplessly. "I don't know." She sighed; slouching. "But I wish I did." On that, they headed for the RiverClan border.

The rest of the patrol was completely silent, even the cat's breathing a whisper, blending in with the wind. When they got back to camp and reported to Dewstripe, none of them mentioned the tom. When it came time to eat, Moonpaw and Nightpaw just picked at their shared vole, leaving most of it. Later, she and Nightpaw took the vole to Hollyflower, who devoured it earnestly. They watched as the elder tore from the carcass; Hollyflower watched them too, and, after licking her whiskers clean, questioned: "I see uncertainty in your eyes, 'paws. A touch of fear, too. What is it?" Nightpaw opened her mouth to answer, but Moonpaw glared at her and shook her head. "Nothing, Hollyflower." She responded in fake cheerfulness. The elder squinted in a concerned way, then sighed. "You can always find me if you need to ask something." She told them. "After all, we are the eldests, and we have seen a lot-too much to be pleasant." With a meaningful glance, she settled down and began to snore. The apprentices watched for a while, then exited in silence. "Who do you think he is?" Nightpaw asked while they were waiting for Dewstripe's Sunhigh patrols. "I don't know!" Moonpaw snapped in a way even she was surprised about; Nightpaw, with a hurt look in her eyes, replied, "I guess not…" As if there wasn't enough silence this sun, Moonpaw though bitterly. _Why is every cat so quiet?_ Then, suddenly, Cloudsplash burst through the entrance with Leaftail and Yellowdawn hard on her paws. The patrol leader had a few light scratches, Leaftail had a nasty scratch on her shoulder, and Yellowdawn had a shredded ear. "You just left a few heartbeats ago!" Dewstripe exclaimed, her fur puffed up so she looked twice her size. "What's the matter?" The three cats took a while to recover, then Leaftail wheezed, "We were just near the border… and Yellowdawn here," She gestured weakly with her tail "found some foxes in our territory… And it's got a kittypet!"

* * *

 ** _Review! For... Over-friendly kittypets?_**


	3. To Live Your Nightmare

**_There was some confusion, sorry._**

 ** _Falconflight is a she-cat! Hawkeyes is a tom! The mistakes are now corrected!_**

 ** _So, now..._**

 ** _Enjoy!_**

 ** _-Windy, because Naturethorn is not available :(_**

* * *

 ** _Written By: Naturethorn_**

 ** _Edited By: Windbritsle_**

* * *

 ** _Chapter 2_**

Moonpaw felt dread claw up her throat, and suddenly felt herself dart to her paws. She watched as Icestar leapt nimbly down from his den and began rapidly organizing a patrol. "Flowerdance, Lightfoot, Falconflight, and Hawkeyes, go with Dewstripe to chase away the foxes," he said, quickly picking out his best fighters. His tail tip twitched as he hesitated for a moment, then added, "Grassheart and Frosttalon, I'm putting you in charge of rescuing the kittypet. We don't want any cats harmed," he added. Moonpaw felt Nightpaw give her a nudge, then whispered quietly, "I don't know what Icestar is doing risking his best warriors on a kittypet, but it better be worth it."

"But what if it's the one we saw earlier;" Moonpaw challenged, "the one who just happened to look like my reflection in the lake?" Nightpaw had no answer to that. Suddenly, Moonpaw felt as if StarClan had shone a ray of sunlight sunlight in her mind. She quickly worked an idea into a plan, which she eagerly told Nightpaw. They both nodded simultaneously, then bounced up to their leader.

"Icestar, can we go help chase off the foxes?" Moonpaw begged.

"It would be good training for us, and yesterday we learned some great techniques for fighting badgers and foxes!" Nightpaw added eagerly. The two cats watched as Icestar narrowed his eyes in thought, then slowly shook his head. "No, I'm afraid that letting you go would just be too dangerous. You're both still newly appointed apprentices and have a lot more to learn."

"But both of our mentors are going!" Moonpaw pleaded, her eyes wide, "And there would be a lot of other warriors there to protect us!"

"Yeah," Nightpaw agreed. Icestar let out a slow, deliberate sigh, flicking his ears in amusement. "Dewstripe," he called out, just as the patrol was heading through the thorn barrier. "Take Moonpaw and Nightpaw with you." The two apprentices felt fierce whispers at their backs as they passed the other cats.

"Why is Icestar letting two inexperienced apprentices go fight not one, but two foxes?"

"They haven't even learned how to kill a squirrel!"

"Icestar is an old fool. He never should have become clan leader!"

"I knew Icestar was picking favorites. . . That's why he never payed any attention to me during training!"

Moonpaw and Nightpaw ducked their heads in embarrassment as they headed through the thorn barrier. As soon as they were out of sight of the camp, both Falconflight and Hawkeyes turned around to glare at their apprentices, who glanced at each other, then down at their paws.

"What were you thinking, arguing with a clan leader like that?" Falconflight demanded, her voice stern but not harsh.

"We just wanted to-" Moonpaw started.

"Well, I hope you've learned your lesson, now that you'll be cleaning the elders' ticks for the next two moons." Hawkeyes ordered with a snort, his eyes flashing.

"And that goes for both of you," Falconflight added.

Nightpaw turned and cast an accusing glance at Moonpaw, who averted her gaze.

The group of cats ran nimbly through the forest, following Dewstripe while leaping over logs and ducking under low branches. Moonpaw felt thorns and brambles tear at her fur relentlessly, and bit her tongue to hold back her yelps of pain. The sounds of the kittypet's cries of fear became audible as they drew closer. Dewstripe fell back a little to allow the cats other cats to join him, as he began rapidly devising a battle plan to distract the foxes long enough to allow Grassheart and Frosttalon to rescue the kittypet. "Ok," he started, "this is going to have to be executed in a way no cat gets hurt. Hawkeyes, take Moonpaw with you to attack from the stream side, towards the closest fox's left flank. Falconflight, you take Nightpaw with you to attack from the other side, towards the same fox's right flank. Flowerdance and Lightfoot, you two will be coming with me to distract the other fox until Grassheart and Frosttalon are able to get the kittypet away from the first fox." The cats listened closely as he spoke, then nodded once he was finished. Moonpaw could hardly hold in her kitlike excitement as she and Hawkeyes stalked towards the fox in a semicircle in order to be able to attack at their designated point. As soon as all the cats were ready to attack, Dewstripe gave the signal with a harsh lash of her tabby tail. Immediately, all the cats leapt out into battle, striking the foxes all at once. Moonpaw clawed with all her fury at the fox's flank before remembering the techniques that Hawkeyes had taught her a few suns ago. She hopped onto the fox's back, looking for the fox's blind spot right behind its neck, and bit down as hard as she knew she could. She pressed down until she tasted the satisfying, metallic tang of blood. She heard Nightpaw scream, "Watch out, Moonpaw!" as the second fox swiped at her powerfully, knocking her off the fox's back onto the hard, rocky ground. As it did this, she felt its claw catch on her ear and rake all the way across her face. She gasped from the burning pain.

She had time to glimpse Hawkeyes clawing at fox's tail before the fox dropped down on top of her, now fighting from the ground after being battered down by Hawkeyes and Falconflight. She immediately felt the immense weight crushing her to the ground until she could barely breath. Hawkeyes had warned her of what to do in this situation, and remembering her hard-taught lessons, bit down on anything she could find. The fox immediately yelped in pain, and leaping to its paws, it limped away as quickly as it could.

It took a few moments for her to find her breath before realizing that both foxes had run off, and that the kittypet was now safe and among them. She looked around, searching for the kittypet, wondering if he was the one who she had seen earlier. She gasped as her gaze fell upon Falconflight. She was panting quickly, exhausted, and had a long, deep cut from one of the fox's claws. It already smelled rancid and was bleeding heavily. Moonpaw now felt as if her own wounds were nothing, although she felt one of her eyes force itself shut in pain. She examined the other cats and saw that other than breathing heavily, were all fine. Before Moonpaw could continue on her search for the kittypet's whereabouts, Nightpaw bounced up to her, yelping from surprise. "Moonpaw! What happened to your face?" She said bluntly with worry.

"What do you mean?" Moonpaw retorted.

"Stop acting like a hero, Moonpaw! Get back to the camp immediately and look for Cherrywhiskers," Flowerdance snarled. Moonpaw gingerly felt her nose with a paw, and cried out in surprise. When she look at her paw, it was covered in bright red blood. "Don't make me get Hawkeyes to carry you there!" Lightfoot added, more kindly.

"But what about Falconflight?" Moonpaw asked, with worry in her voice.

"She can take care of herself. Nightpaw, go make sure that Moonpaw gets to Cherrywhiskers." Lightfoot said.

"Of course, Lightfoot," Nightpaw answered. "Come on, Moonpaw, let's go."

As they quickly padded back to the camp in silence, they heard a particularly loud rustle coming from a bush directly behind them. Moonpaw paused, ears pricked, although Nightpaw ignored it and kept on walking. "Moonpaw, come here! Don't get distracted," Nightpaw exclaimed. "Wait," She answered with reluctance. "I think someone's following us…" Without any warning, a tom stepped out from the bush saying, "How did you do that?" Moonpaw yelped in surprise as she examined him, finding that he was the same cat from the earlier patrol. "Would it be okay if I came with you?" He asked. "I didn't think you would mind if I followed you. I just wanted to see what your camp looked like. I've heard all about you guys. Are you really as savage as everyone says you all are?" Suddenly, the bushes nearby rustled, and a vole darted out. The tom jumped in surprise, his fur fluffing up to twice his size. Moonpaw and Nightpaw watched, amused. "No, you couldn't be," He concluded. "You seem nice enough," He added, "although that was some pretty cool fighting back there. You were like, _pow_! And _bam_! Where did you learn how to do that? Can you fight foxes by yourself? Are the foxes going to come back?" He spoke rapidly without pause, not waiting for an answer. "Ummm…" Nightpaw twitched her ear, thoroughly confused, but Moonpaw just gave a small laugh. "Let's just get to the camp. We'll show you the way. Follow us." She offered. The tom jumped up in excitement, his eyes shining with eagerness to see what forest cats lived like, and if all the stories were true. The cats all padded back to the camp, silent except for the tom's constant chattering. When they reached the camp, Nightpaw directed Moonpaw towards Cherrywhisker's den, making sure that she entered it, before taking the tom to Icestar.

"Woah… So many cats!" The tom gasped, suddenly in silent awe. Curious warriors poked their heads out of dens to see who the newcomer was, then crept out slowly, one by one. Some headed to the medicine den to talk to Moonpaw, asking about the battle, while others simply sat and examined the new tom, all noticing his likeness to Moonpaw but not one cat saying a thing. The camp seemed to be eerily quiet as Nightpaw took the wide-eyed tom to Icestar's den. Before she could reach the entrance, however, Icestar himself stepped out into the sunlight, and for a moment, his fur seemed to glow ice-blue. His eyes shone with the glory of the great warrior he used to be. The tom's fur sprang up once again, inflating him now to look triple the size of Nightpaw, and simply stared with his mouth hanging open in unhidden astonishment.

Icestar nodded curtly to Nightpaw, then asked "Who is it that you have brought back, and without the permission of a senior warrior?" "He asked to temporarily stay in the clan until the fox is gone, so Moonpaw offered to take him back." The black apprentice replied, then added, "She's in Cherrywhisker's den if you would like to see her."

"No, it's fine. If you may," Icestar started, signaling with his tail for the tom to enter his den, but when Nightpaw stepped forward to join them, Icestar blocked her out. "I would like to speak to him on my own," he said with a strange, icy tone to his voice. Nightpaw simply nodded in bewildered acknoledgement, startled and slightly offended, then turned and padded down to check on Moonpaw.

"Now, what is your name, and where do you come from?" Icestar coldly asked the tom. The tom blinked several times. "My name is Fuzzball, and I come from…" Fuzzball started, then realized he couldn't finish the question. "I don't know where I come from, really. My housefolk found me as a kit, or at least that's what Cloud used to tell me."

"I see…." Icestar said. "And who is this Cloud?" "My friend." Fuzzball answered calmly. Icestar nodded. "What does she look like?" Confused at the question, FUzzball answered with a voice innocent as a kit's, "Oh, she looks a lot like Moonpaw." At this, the ThunderClan leader's eyes grew wide and his fur stood up. He pounced onto his feet, then hissed with sudden, unleaderly frustration, "Do you already know about Moonpaw and Nightpaw? Did Mistwhisker tell you?"

Fuzzball's eyes stretched so wide in wonder a mouse could've fit in it: "Did who tell me what?" he asked innocently. As Icestar's fur slowly started to lay flat again, the clan leader turned his back. "Please leave my den." He mewed, the tone of an order seeping into his voice. "I need to think." "Yeah, okay, I'll leave you so you can think." Fuzzball agreed, then backed slowly out of the den. When Icestar was sure the kittypet was gone, he collapsed inside his den. "Oh, StarClan…" He murmured as dark memories flooded his head. "Please, tell me what to do…"

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 ** _Italics weren't transporting properly in copy-and-paste... So some are a bit confusing. Sorry!_**

 ** _Review! For... Confused clan leaders!_**


	4. To Question Your Beliefs

**_Hi guys._**

 ** _Bad feeling, eh?_**

 ** _Yep. Just a sec._**

 ** _Thank you Raven that flies at night for reviewing! Here's a brownie! *Tosses*_**

 ** _Not for da bad news._**

 ** _Me going hiatus._**

 ** _Yay._**

 ** _Me going to Center for Talented Youth, and thus won't be updating as often, if at all. I'm not sure if they let us use FanFiction of not._**

 ** _Sooooo... Three weeks._**

 ** _Oh, also, Mom's sending my cats away. Currently grieving._**

 ** _Yep._**

 ** _Bai._**

 ** _*Screams* I WILL MISS YOU READERS! I LOVE ALL OF YOU WHO WENT THIS FAR! BUT... I WILL BE BACK! *Bows and leaves stage while sniffling and wiping tears with a sleeve*_**

 ** _ENJOYYYYYYY DIS PROBABLY LAST CHAPPIE OF THIS MONTH!_**

 ** _-Windy (Naturethorn is not here)_**

 ** _Written By: Windbritsle_**

 ** _Edited By: Naturethorn_**

* * *

As Moonpaw stretched outside of the medicine cat's den, she was aware of eyes locking on her, amber, blue and green. She shifted uncomfortably, groaning a bit as she stretched out her wounds, trying in vain to open her clawed eye as she staggered over to Fuzzball, who was watching Leaftail and Grassheart practice their skills in horror. When he saw the she-cat, he let out a gasping breath and scrambled over to her.

"Why are they fighting?" He asked, fear resonating in his voice. Moonpaw watched him, trying to read his expression. It was like looking in your reflection in a puddle as a strong wind blew by. "They're just practicing their moves," Moonpaw responded. "No cats are ever harmed. But why they aren't practicing in the clearing, I don't know…" Suddenly, Leaftail struck Grassheart with her whole body, causing the older tom to stagger and fly towards Fuzzball, who was instantly squashed against the ground.

"What are you doing?" Moonpaw demanded as Fuzzball yelped in fear, holding back a cry of pain as she stretched her healing wounds through opening her jaws. The two warriors watched her, their gazes holding her steadily in their grasp with glowing amber eyes. Out of nowhere, a shoulder bumped her harshly. Turning to the side, Moonpaw saw Nightpaw, who had sneaked up to her like a shadow. "They're in trouble," She whispered, a hint of excitement bubbling in her voice. "Icestar is coming out of his den, and he doesn't look happy!" Moonpaw and Fuzzball turned to look in the direction Nightpaw's amber eyes were focused on. Nightpaw was right. The old pale blue-gray tom padded out of his nest, and ordered something harshly to the two sibling warriors. They dipped their heads, but did a good job of not showing any emotion whatsoever. After a quiet scolding, the two warriors moved off casually. Icestar cast a glance at the three young cats huddled near the Medicine cat's den entrance and snorted. Moonpaw watched, confused. The last time a practice fight had broken out in camp, Poolpaw had to take care of the elders for a moon. But yet the warriors seemed to have received no punishment…

"I have no idea what that was about," Moonpaw started. Fuzzball did not respond, but instead shook his fur and sighed wearily. "I wonder when the fox'll be gone." He raised a paw and licked at the raw, scraped pink pad. "I want to go back to my housefolk." Moonpaw cocked her head in confusion. The clan might have made a bad impression on Fuzzball, she knew. But what she did not get was why the tom was so anxious about returning to his housefolk. The legendary leader, Firestar, living only in the stories passed down from Hollyflower's deceased mother, was a kittypet named Rusty before he came to the forest. He loved it. Stormflight, one of the greatest warriors, was found in a kittypet den as Frank before he joined the clan. Why Fuzzball would want to go back was past her. But, instead, she responded, "Probably soon. I can ask the patrolling cats if you want," She offered. Fuzzball watched her with gratitude. "Thank you!" He exclaimed.

Moonpaw just nodded, and walked off slowly. The cats she walked past turned to look her, though when she caught their gaze, they quickly veered away. The were cats whispering to each other, their eyes in her direction. Moonpaw wondered if bringing Fuzzball to camp was a bad decision. She padded slowly over to Dewstripe, who was staring blankly into the sky. When she turned around, she realized that Nightpaw wasn't with her. "Dewstripe." She greeted the deputy quietly. The she-cat just nodded in quiet acknowledgement. Moonpaw blinked her one unpatched eye, and accidentally cracked open her patched-up eye a bit. "Ow!" She whimpered, but her other eye widened. For a split second, her damaged eye saw through a opening in the herbs, and saw a ghostly figure standing next to Dewstripe, his nose in her fur, his eyes filled with regret. "Snakefang!?" She gasped. Dewstripe jumped to her paws, eyes darting from side to side. She spun around a couple of times, then crumpled to the ground. "I thought I scented him," The tabby deputy of ThunderClan whimpered. Moonpaw's eyes flooded with apology, her head dipping. "I'm sorry, Dewstripe."

She backed away, and slowly padded towards the elder's den, following a strange, unknown instinct. As she entered, Hollyflower lifted her head. "Youngster!" She exclaimed quietly. "Ah, 'paws always change their minds. I feel you have something to ask me?" Moonpaw searched the elder's gaze. There was the cheerfulness on the surface, like the ice on a frozen-over lake. But Moonpaw could tell that under the many seasons of sorrow, anger, hurt, comfort, love, and hate, hidden just under the surface, where the calm, deep green water lies. "Yes, I guess." Moonpaw stuttered. "Um, can you tell me, does StarClan control fate? Do they control when you die?"

Hollyflower narrowed her eyes slightly in confusion and a bit of surprise. "Why do you ask, 'paw?" She asked, her voice gentle. Suddenly, Moonpaw felt the stone in her heart drop, and everything about the previous suns flooded out her jaws. Snakefang's mysterious death in his den, Fuzzball's strange likeness to her, and her clanmate's coldness to her. She reluctantly mentioned Icestar's irregular behaviour. "And I sa..." She trailed off. This was unnecessary, right? "-w, um, Fuzzball messing around!" She said after a moment's hesitation. Hollyflower remained quiet while the younger cat spoke, listening intently, her eyes rippling like there were fish under the serene surface. When she heard the last sentence, she flicked her ear, and sighed. "StarClan does not control fate." She answered. "They can see a cat's destiny, and yet destiny is in your own paws… look," She said, gesturing with her tail at the cats milling around the camp. "After surviving through three leaders, I learned a lot and only got closer to StarClan."

She closed her eyes and tilted up her head, allowing herself to fall back through time. "The ambitous but unwavering, loyal Bramblestar. The elderly but courageous and fair Squirrelstar. And now…" She poked her head out of the den and stared meaningfully at Icestar's den. "There are thousands of pawprints in that den, and nothing that we can do will ever change that, but the old and caring, empathetic, and mysterious Icestar treads courageously in their path." Moonpaw saw ages beyond ages of memories reflected in Hollyflower's forest-green eyes. Some memories old and long-lost, yet there were others, memories too joyful and sorrowful to be forgotten among the stars. "In times of trouble, never forget your elders." Hollyflower cautiously warned. "But no cat has the power to change your destiny. You are the only cat that can shape your future." She said, smiling. "Now, this old cat must have bored you with all her talk of rubbish. Why don't you go outside, have some fresh air, and tell this to Nightpaw? She knows you much better than I, no doubt."

* * *

 ** _SORRY! IF I EVER GET PERMISSION, I WILL UPDATE! I'M SOOOOO VERY, VERY, VERY SORRY!_**


	5. To Follow Your Curiosity

**_So. I discovered... That you're allowed to type and post FF's in CTY! YAY!_**

 ** _So, here ya go!_**

* * *

 ** _Written By: Naturethorn_**

 ** _Edited By: Windbritsle_**

* * *

Moonpaw spoke to Nightpaw for the rest of the day, since neither of them were on patrol due to their injuries. They talked about everything from Fuzzball to Moonpaw's conversation with Hollyflower. Through their relentless chatting, something seemed off about Nightpaw, but Moonpaw wasn't quite able to pin it down. As sundown approached at an alarming pace, Fuzzball joined in on their conversations. Moonpaw was able to notice how much he knew about all four clans, though he didn't bother to hide the fact that he was a kittypet, either. As the dusk patrols padded in, Moonpaw managed to bring up the topic of Fuzzball's return to the twolegplace. "So, Fuzzball, if you want, we can go out and explore the forest tomorrow at sunhigh, as long as we aren't on any patrols then."

"Oh! Sure, that would be great! I've always wanted to explore the forest, but Cloud would always tell me that it was much too dangerous," Fuzzball answered at an accelerated tone. "Now, remind me who Cloud is again?" Moonpaw inquired.

"Oh, yeah, Cloud was my old friend. She actually looked sorta like you, except her fur had white tips. She would always tell me stories of how there were two cats here, from separate clans, that would always meet secretly. She was great at that!" Fuzzball remembered, memories reflected on his sky-blue eyes. "But she would always remind me of how they were just stories, myths made up from the deepest imagination of her mind…." He continued, with a sad tone to his voice. "Well, don't worry about that," Moonpaw said cheerfully, trying to distract his mind from the increasingly sorrowful topic. "We can take you on a tour of the forest" She continued. "Yeah, and we'll take you to the twoleg place, too!" Nightpaw added, understanding what Moonpaw was trying to accomplish.

As Nightpaw curled up in her nest in the apprentice's den that night, she felt a small nudge at her back. "Do you think that Fuzzball's going to be ok?" She asked quietly, careful not to wake the apprentices sleeping beside her. "Yeah, I'm sure he'll be fine," Nightpaw replied, glancing over to the spot where he was beginning to doze off. "He's a perfectly capable cat, and he always knows he can find help with you," She teased playfully.

The next morning, both Nightpaw and Moonpaw were informed with the news that because of his rancid injury, Falconflight would not be able to take Nightpaw out to training or patrols that day. As Dewstripe quietly told the two regretful apprentices, he added at the end with a small twitch of his whiskers and a lowered voice, "And Icestar is going to let you three- as in you two and Fuzzball- explore the forest for the rest of the day."

"Really? Tell him I said thanks!" Both Moonpaw and Nightpaw whispered excitedly as they bounced up and down on their toes, excited for the day to get started. At the sun's zenith, the two apprentices ran up to Fuzzball, who was in deep slumber at the back of the apprentice's den, and rapidly told him of Icestar's decision.

As they padded back outside of the den, Fuzzball now trailing along, Dewstripe padded over. "On one condition!" She added. "You are all still young; You must take a cat, older than 14 moons, with you." At this, the three cats sighed. "Do we have to?" Moonpaw questioned. "Please?" Nightpaw and Fuzzball pleaded, eyes wide with innocence. "No, Icestar specifically told me to tell you to take a cat of the requested age along. Now, I'll be watching you three when you exit the bramble barrier, and you better have a cat with the required experience. I would hurry along and find the cat soon." Dewstripe answered blandly, hiding any emotion beneath the surface.

"So, which cat are we taking?" Nightpaw asked the two cats as they were padding away from Dewstripe as a unit. "I don't know…. Perhaps Yellowdawn, since she isn't used to leading," Moonpaw suggested. "Yeah, Yellowdawn is about 16 moons, as far as I know, so she won't be used to being in charge. We can just ask her to tag along," Nightpaw responded. "As long as she isn't on any patrols," Fuzzball added meaningfully. The three apprentices hurried to the warrior's den, where Yellowdawn was presumably either sleeping or waking up. They reached the den entrance, where Moonpaw quickly said, "It's better if only one of us goes in. It's a small den, and we don't want to wake up any unnecessary cats."

"Yeah, I get what you mean," Both Nightpaw and Fuzzball answered. Moonpaw was not sure how Fuzzball said that with such confidence, but she and Nightpaw had once woken up Hawkeyes while he was sleeping… And it was not very pretty. After a second thought, she realized what he thought she was saying: Stay out, kittypets are not welcome in the warrior's den. Moonpaw stuck her head in the den, whiskers twitching as she searched for Yellowdawn's scent. "Ah, there," She said, spotting the ginger cat at the edge of the circle of nests. "Yellowdawn?" She asked, gently prodding the sleeping cat. "Come with us to show Fuzzball the forest. Icestar's orders," Moonpaw added, knowing that it would catch her attention. "What? Oh, right. One second, I'm coming," She said, along with a large yawn, which displayed her thorn-sharp teeth. She stood up slowly, shaking out her fur before walking out through the entrance with Moonpaw. "Are you all ready to go?" Moonpaw asked, digging her claws into the ground to keep her from bouncing up and down. "All ready!" Fuzzball answered.

With that, the small group of cats padded through the bramble entrance, along with an approving nod from Dewstripe. "Can we go see the lake first? I've always wanted to see it!" Fuzzball said, heart pounding with excitement. "Um.." Nightpaw and Yellowdawn exchanged glances. "We've had some…" Yellowdawn paused mid-sentence, then continued, "...Difficulties with RiverClan, so I think that it would be better if we showed you WindClan's border first."

"Oh, all right…" Fuzzball answered, most of his enthusiasm vanishing. The patrol of cats continued, pointing out various landmarks. "Oh, that's the clearing where we train!" Moonpaw pointed out. "That's the huge tree that fell down during that storm a few moons ago!" Nightpaw added noisily. "If we keep up at this rate, we'll scare away all the prey from here to Riverclan!" Yellowdawn scolded in a teasing tone. "Let's just not talk as loudly, ok? We don't want to disturb the hunting patrols," She added more meaningfully.

The cats padded on for a while, continuing as they had been doing previously, but making sure to tone down the volume. This, however, did nothing to dampen their excitement. They stayed out until most of the gloriously warm sunlight had gone, and night had fallen. "It's time to get going," Yellowdawn suggested. "It's not safe to be this close to the border at nightfall," She warned.

"Oh, it's fine, it's not that big a deal!" Nightpaw protested.

"No, I think that Yellowdawn is right. We're all tired and hungry, and we should probably bring some prey back to camp to make up for the lost day of work," Moonpaw agreed.

Suddenly, there was a rustle coming from a bush near the border. The cats were suddenly swamped in a strange scent that Moonpaw recognized from the twolegplace. "Hide!" Yellowdawn exclaimed. Fuzzball looked around in confusion. "Oh, it smells like the town! I wonder if we're nearby?" He inquired, mostly to himself. "Just hide!" Nightpaw yelled, dragging Fuzzball down into a small, abandoned rabbit burrow. She looked over to where Moonpaw was hiding among the large roots of a huge tree. She nodded, then Nightpaw switched places with Fuzzball to cover up his shiny, noticeable fur. All the cats crouched down low and flattened their ears as the two twolegs walked cautiously into the clearing. They muttered some strange sounds, then seemed to be agreeing with each other.

Nightpaw flattened herself farther into the hole, trying desperately to hide Fuzzball, as well as herself, as the larger twoleg strolled over to their hiding spot. As Nightpaw was doing so, a brown, dried maple leaf crackled beneath her. She froze fearfully as the twoleg paused, looking around for the source of the sound. He called to the other twoleg, who jogged over to him. Then, seemingly noticing at the same time, they looked straight down at Nightpaw. She, in turn, looked back up at them with wide amber eyes and hissed weakly in fear, her hackles rising. They muttered some more strange sounds, then while one bent down and scooped up a struggling Nightpaw, the other took out a mesh bag hidden in the bushes and shoved her carelessly into it.

Nightpaw struggled vainly against them, clawing at whatever she could find. She heard a yelp from a twoleg as both Yellowdawn and Moonpaw leapt out at them simultaneously. The cats struggled against the one holding the bag, Moonpaw clawing at the twoleg's strange, pink paws while the other raked her claws across its even stranger-looking face. Fuzzball quietly crept out of his hole, careful to not attract either of the twoleg's attention, then darted off as fast as he could. Moonpaw, seeing the flash of silver fur, was easily distracted. She felt a twoleg's paw slam into the side of her head as she was watching the spot where Fuzzball had run out of. She felt her grip on the twoleg loosen as she began to feel dizzy. A heavy wave of nausea swept over her, and the second twoleg easily scooped her off the twoleg with the bag, and threw her back into the forest. She felt a fresh burst of pain as she collided into a tree, midair, then fell, completely limp, to the ground. She heard Yellowdawn's cry of pain as she, too, flew threw the air and landed beside Moonpaw. She had a chance to hazily think, _Where did Fuzzball go?_ , before feeling herself slip into unconsciousness.

* * *

 ** _Didn't have time to edit... So yeah, there's also problems with copy-and-paste with italics and bolds. Please bear with me! *Bows*_**


	6. To Scapegoat Your Enemy

_**Still the probs... Yeah...**_

 _ ***Checks Google Drive***_

 _ **NUUUUU I'M RUNNING OUT OF STOCKED CHAPTERS!**_

 ** _AND I'M STILL NOT IN CONTACT WITH NATURETHORN! *Runs in tight circles*_**

 ** _Naturethorn, if you're reading, HELP MOI!_**

* * *

 ** _Written By: Windbritsle_**

 ** _Edited By: Naturethorn_**

* * *

His paws flying underneath him, Fuzzball raced through the forest, his eyes darting from side to side. Thorns and tendrils tugged at his pelt, threatening to pull large tufts of fur off, but he didn't feel it at all. His mind was focused in one direction: ThunderClan camp. His heart pounded, and he was beginning to get short of breath when he finally reached camp. The warriors met him with questioning glances as he raced through camp, yowling: "HELP! HELP!" In a few heartbeats, Icestar stalked out of his den. "Why are you _disturbing_ all the other clanmates?" He hissed. "Um they um the um patrol th-they um w-were c-caught by um-" "Calm down." Hollyflower's voice suddenly flew into his ear. "One word at a time, make yourself heard." He turned to see the black elder watching him with an intense but puzzled look in her emerald-green eyes. "The patrol," Fuzzball wheezed after catching his breath. "H-housefolk, bad housefolk, they caught them!" Tails shot up in alarm all around him, followed by glares of hatred. Whispers echoed throughout the camp. Fuzzball was able to pick out worries, concerns, as well as several nasty remarks.

"You led them into a trap!"

"I should've known never to trust lazy, calculating kittypets!"

"Why aren't you helping them?"

Fuzzball's eyes welled with despair and apparent frustration.

"You've got to help them!" He screamed through a coarse, aching throat. "I know I'm a kittypet, but they're your clanmates, aren't they? If you don't want to help me, at least help the others!"

Cats began to shoot him looks of confusion, then realization.

"Yellowdawn was with them…"

"I can't believe I'm not saving Yellowdawn…"

"I hate the apprentices. They're Icestar's favorites!"

"But that doesn't mean we can just leave them!"

One voice pierced into Fuzzball's ears, rising above all the others. "I have to save Yellowdawn!" It was the high-pitched, trembling caterwaul of Grassheart. It was no longer a mystery how much he dearly loved Yellowdawn, confirming the highlight of gathering gossip.

"Silence!" Icestar demanded. Hearing the usually serene leader raise his voice, the cats milling and mewing about quieted. "We are to rescue our clanmates, and the." He paused, then giving a strange smile, continued by saying, "...Situation will be dealt with later." He shot a look at Fuzzball that somehow reminded him of a grinning snake: smug, clever, and calculating. "We will save them." He hissed, jumping from his den, and landing amongst the gathered cats. As the pale gray leader turned to glare at Fuzzball, the warriors subconsciously scuttled aside, allowing Icestar a clear path towards him. "But this cat!" He yowled, pointing his tail at Fuzzball. "He must have somehow gotten the twolegs to capture our warriors!"

Fuzzball's wide eyes scanned the crowd, capturing the voice of warriors who murmured in agreement. "H-how is that possible!?" Fuzzball exclaimed, his fur rising to triple his size, his tail tucking between his legs. "Why would I be here, then?" A stomp on the ground behind him made the silver tabby spin around in fear. Grassheart stood on his toes, his back arched, a furious growl escaping his throat. "For more warriors trapped in twolegplaces, of course!" He spat in disgust. "We're not mouse-brained."

Fuzzball's eyes grew wider until they seemed like two miniature moons of fear. He shrank to the ground from utter humiliation and terror. Warriors stalked towards him, their eyes glowing with hatred, their throats trembling with growls and hisses. "Next sunhigh, this fox-heart shall be exiled from all clans!" Icestar announced, his voice tinged with venom. "But right now, the duty of most importance is saving our clanmates." He shot Fuzzball a dirty look. _Was that triumph I saw in his eyes?_ The fearful cat thought.

"We will not let this traitor's plan succeed!" Grassheart roared.

"He is right." Icestar agreed. "We will take most of the available warriors to maximize our chance of winning. Both of our apprentices, as well as Yellowdawn, will return safely!" Next to him, Foxtail leapt to her paws. "I can still fight!" She announced. "I'm going! The apprentices and Yellowdawn need me!"

"And me." Sunnose sneered. "No matter how stupid and weak twolegs are, I can't let my mate go alone."

"Me for certain!" Grassheart caterwauled.

"And me. I stand with my kin," Leaftail added. Headed by the enthusiastic warriors, cats began to rise and volunteer.

"Every available cat!" Icestar demanded. "We will bring our clanmates back!" He was supported with loud yowls of approval.

Fuzzball followed as the warriors dove skillfully through the forest, their paws barely touching the ground, flying over logs and boulders. He was severely lagging behind, his breaths shallow and quick. _They're so fast!_ He thought, wheezing. Slowly, Spotpaw adjusted her pace to run alongside with the tom. "You can do it!" The female medicine cat apprentice urged. The tom nodded, and forced his paws to move faster than he thought had ever been possible; he only stopped increasing his pace when his paws stung as if they were being bit by a viper. "That's it!" Spotpaw laughed. Her sleek pelt rippled with muscles underneath, the flecks on her body dancing and swirling. _She should be a warrior,_ Fuzzball thought with a pang. _it's all because of Clearsight's incident._ After Clearsight and Mistwhiskers left and Cherrywhiskers became the medicine cat, she and Poolpaw had been born. They were forced to become medicine cat apprentices, and their third littermate, a sickly she-cat named Smallkit, was "spared". She died, though, very soon, of greencough. That just made Icestar hate the two cats even more.

Still lost in thought, Fuzzball didn't realize when Spotpaw, who had now drifted to his front, stopped dead in her tracks. He slammed into her with an "Oof!". The thundering of paws slowly ceased. "Moonpaw!" The cry of anxiety sliced through the silent air. A flash of rust-colored fur entered his line of vision, and the silver tabby tom watched as Foxtail shook his look-alike, who in a daze. The she-cat let out a groan, her eyelids fluttering, then slowly opening to unveil the clear blue orb underneath. "F… Fox… Foxtail…?" She murmured and tried to heave herself up. Instantly, she let out a groan and flopped back onto the ground like a dead leaf. "My head hurts!" She whimpered. Foxtail said something soothingly into the young apprentice's ear and called for Cherrywhiskers. Then, a ear-piercing screech rippled through the forest.

" _Yellowdawn_!" The tri-colored tom wailed. "Don't leave me!" All the cats averted their gaze to the second she-cat. She was quivering, a large branch piercing through her body, from one shoulder, exiting from her chest. Blood pooled around her, and she exhaled shaky breaths, hardly gathering enough energy to breath in. "Grasshea…" She rasped. "Right!" Grassheart exclaimed softly, pressing his ear against Yellowdawn's mouth. The she-cat whispered something, and his eyes grew wide. "H-how did you…" But he received no response, aside from the quiet hymn of the canopy birds, and the winds playing the lyre.


	7. To Avoid Your Farewells

**_Italics, blah, blah, blah._**

 ** _ENJOY!_**

* * *

 ** _Written By: Naturethorn_**

 ** _Edited By: Windbritsle_**

* * *

The clan of anxious cats gathered around the medicine den, where the two injured ones lay, Cherrywhiskers tending to them. Moonpaw felt her eyes slowly force themselves open. She felt a gentle but consistent throb in the back of her head. As soon as the cats around realized she was awake, she was bombarded with questions.

"What happened?"

"Where's Nightpaw?"

"How did you lose against a weak twoleg?"

Moonpaw felt overwhelmed, and Cherrywhiskers briskly sent her two apprentices to guide the group of chattering cats away. Moonpaw opened her mouth as if to speak, but hesitated. Then, almost as if she were unsure of herself, she asked, "Can I speak to Fuzzball?" Cherrywhiskers narrowed her eyes at this, then, after a moment of hesitation, hastily answered, "He's due to leave next sundown."

"What?!" She heard herself scream. "He's the only reason that Yellowdawn and I are alive! How could Icestar exile him after saving our lives?"

"Look, it's not my choice to make," Cherrywhiskers answered anxiously, "But if you ask me, he deserved it. He turned tail in battle. And he may have saved you," She added, "But he also could have tried harder to save Yellowdawn. She's hardly alive." Moonpaw's eyes widened in dismay, and she slowly shook her head in disbelief. "I need to talk to him before he leaves," She muttered, barely loud enough for Cherrywhiskers to decipher.

Moonpaw shakily rose to her paws, ignoring Cherrywhisker's orders to lay back down and rest. "I need to see him. This isn't fair!"

"Life isn't fair!" Cherrywhiskered hissed softly, desparate to get some sense into the young cat. "You think I enjoyed watching my clanmates die around me while I could do nothing?" She answered ferociously. "And all just because Clearsight decided to abandon the clan!" She whipped around, her tail lashing furiously, and headed towards the back of the medicine den. Moonpaw was startled by this outburst. Cherrywhiskers was usually a compassionate and kind medicine cat. It was as if she had turned hard and cold at the mention of fairness. _But life really wasn't fair for her. She was blamed for not learning everything from Clearsight and having to consult the other clan medicine cats, making ThunderClan seem helpless._

Moonpaw shrugged the thought off and limped off to find Fuzzball. Where could he be? As she was thinking, the answer came to her. Where else would he be other than the den where he had been commanded to stay? She slowly but steadily made progress to the apprentice den. The air inside of it felt chilly without Nightpaw laying in a nest where she should be. She looked around, noticing a pile of shivering fur at the very corner of the den. "Fuzzball?" She whispered, wondering if he had ignored his orders. "Leave me alone, ok?" He whimpered, then, raising his head, he realized it was Moonpaw. "Oh, Moonpaw! Are you ok?" Fuzzball inquired, eyes wide with worry. "I'm fine. Thanks for getting the clan. Without you, I would be among Starclan by now." Moonpaw said, candid.

"Try telling that to the rest of the clan!" Her look-alike muttered. "They seem to think I brought the twolegs to you!" Moonpaw let her tail tip drag on the ground, fully showing her disappointment. "How could they not realize you saved mine, and Yellowdawn's lives?" The silver tabby complained.

"I don't know…" Fuzzball answered sullenly. Moonpaw glanced outside to where the light was rapidly fading. "I guess I'll be sleeping in the medicine cat's den."

"No! Don't leave!" The young tom begged, then added more seriously, "Please don't leave. I need you!"

"Oh, all right.." Moonpaw answered with a playful shove, which sent her mind spinning. She immediately regretted the action, and curled up beside Fuzzball, where she quickly drifted into an unsettled sleep.

She opened her eyes to find herself in a lush clearing. Birds twittered in the trees, and ferns quivered signaling plentiful prey. "Where am I?" She asked, anxiety showing in her pale blue eyes. She opened the mouth and tasted the air for scents before realizing that a cat was right behind her. She turned around, only to see a pale gray tom with stars tangled in his fur. His scent smelled fresh with the slight tang of herbs. "Welcome to StarClan," The former medicine cat spoke quietly, his blue eyes seemingly piercing deep into her mind. Recognizing him from the stories, she asked, cautious, "Are you Jayfeather?"

"I am, indeed."

"Why-" Moonpaw started, then was abruptly cut off by Jayfeather's next words. "I have come to deliver an urgent message."

"What, like a prophecy or something?" Moonpaw questioned, her eyes slightly narrowed, her paws kneading the cool earth in impatience.

"Exactly that." Jayfeather answered, his gaze solemn. Moonpaw now stared in silence understanding that she was not to interrupt Jayfeather. The StarClan cat cocked his head slightly, then opened his mouth. "When your last relation leaves, during the time when the sky is blood-red," He started, "You will lose your last kin." He looked down at the silver tabby, blinking slowly. "Wait, but how can that be? I've never known any kin of mine, except maybe…." She finished the last word of the sentence in her head. _Fuzzball._ "I just met him, though! He can't possibly be leaving!" Moonpaw exclaimed. "Please, find a way to make him stay," She pleaded to the pale gray tom, her eyes wide in desperation. She found her words spoken to empty air as the surrounding scenery slowly began to fade. Purplish fog crept into her line of vision, and she felt herself slowly drift into sleep, and, after giving up struggling to stay on her paws, she collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion.

Moonpaw woke to the sun shining bright and clear through the brambles surrounding the den. Fuzzball was still sound asleep beside her, his fur warm to the touch. With a sudden burst of inspiration, she knew what she had to do. Quickly grooming herself, she leapt to her paws and trotted over to Icestar's den.

"Icestar?" She called out to her leader, trying her best to sound polite. "What is it, Moonpaw?" An upbeat and welcoming voice responded from the depths of the den, slightly drowsy..

"I was just wondering…. Why does Fuzzball have to go? I mean, he saved my life."

"He must go because he is a traitorous, cowardly fox," Icestar replied harshly but calmly, still radiating warmth as he watched Moonpaw, who was itching to interrupt. "And he manipulated you into thinking he was a dumb kittypet," He added. Moonpaw felt herself burn with anger at Icestar's unreasonable words. "But he-"

"Now, I know what you're thinking, but he didn't. Do not argue anymore with me, or you will be getting rid of Hollyflower's ticks for the next two moons," He concluded with a cruel gleam in his eyes, somehow his aura still filled with welcome, a fake smile on his pale gray face. Moonpaw let out an exasperated sigh, and wearily headed back to Fuzzball. "I tried my best, Fuzzball, but he wouldn't listen."

"It's ok…" Fuzzball murmured, eyes cast downwards. Moonpaw shook her head somberly. She sighed, glancing out to the alarming pace of the sun. _Why, Jayfeather?_ She wailed silently. _Why? I thought… I thought you didn't want me to lose my last kin!_ She decided to sleep until Fuzzball's "execution."

Moonpaw's eyes flew open to the sound of excited murmurs.

"This piece of fox dung will finally get what he deserves!"

"We won't be having any trouble with _him_ for a while longer!"

"That mouse-brain wouldn't of have made it another day in the clan!"

She leapt to her paws and rushed out of the den, ignoring the fresh burst of pain this brought to her head. Moonpaw quickly glanced around, searching for her reflection. There! Fuzzball was sitting next to the bramble exit, staring blankly at the ground. His wide, blue eyes reflected his worries. Moonpaw scurried over to him, ignoring the strange looks she received from her usually friendly clanmates. "Fuzzball! I need to tell you something!"

"What is it, Moonpaw?" Her look-alike muttered.

"Moonpaw, I wouldn't take too long with him if I were you. He's due to leave as soon as the sun has completed its cycle," Icestar snapped in a very un-leader-like way. Moonpaw looked Fuzzball in his desperate eyes. "I had a dream last night. Jayfeather was there, and…." She paused, searching for the right words. "He told me that you're my littermate. It must be true!" Moonpaw insisted. The look in Fuzzball's eyes was so venomous, if it had been filled with any more hatred, she would have melted under his glare. "You think that just because we're… _possible_ littermates, I'm going to stay in the clan for as long as I want? Come and go as I wish? Well, being kin isn't going to solve any problems! My _housefolk_ were so good to me, not so much your clan, though." He lashed out verbally with the force of ten rattlesnakes. Moonpaw flinched, hurt and alarmed. Instantly, the respect in her eyes vanished. What replaced her sisterly love was a stronger emotion than she had ever felt before. She was experiencing true hatred, and she felt betrayed.

"Well, then I guess you won't be needing me!" Moonpaw retorted with a held back sob and slightly trembling voice, tears in her eyes, threatening to escape. Glancing up, she saw that the prophecy had been fulfilled: the sky was the deep red of the dawn, of her clanmate's and littermate's hatred, the usual yellow hue gone. Her eyes widened in dismay. _...Yellowdawn!_ She whipped around, and saw Cherrywhiskers exit her den with a blank look on her face. She turned back to Fuzzball. "Yellowdawn…" She choked on the name. Fuzzball narrowed his eyes. "She died, right? I tried my best. I saved you, but they still are going to drive me out!" He sneered. "Some warriors with honor! I wonder what Yellowdawn would think about that." Moonpaw thought she felt her heart cool. The Fuzzball she had tried to save from exile was gone. Moonpaw spun around on her toes, tail whipping across his face, intending to head to Cherrywhisker's den to see the warrior one last time.

Instead, Moonpaw stopped dead in her tracks when she realized the whole clan was watching, listening. Not a cat moved, curious and startled eyes gazing at her. "Oh, and Moonpaw?" Icestar said, speaking at the worst time possible for her. "You and I are going to be escorting Fuzzball to the twolegplace," He added unhelpfully, with a smirk, his eyes gleaming with pure malevolence, his mask perfect. Moonpaw whirled around and bounded into the forest, humiliated. The only sound to be heard was the whipping of the wind far above in the branches of the trees. Her last thought before she ran past the Thunderclan border into unknown woods was, _No one cares about me anymore anyways._


	8. To Fight Your Captors

_**Italics(exceptional amount in this chappie), stuff...**_

 _ ***Checks stored chapters***_

 _ **WHAT THE HECK!? TWO STORED CHAPTERS LEFT!?**_

 _ ***Thinks* That's the same amount we had when we first posted this story...**_

 _ ***Screams* NUUUUU! Naturethorn-neesan, if you're reading this, HELLLLLLLP MEEEEEEEEEEE!**_

 _ **P.S.: This chapter only: line breaks are changing perspectives.**_

* * *

 ** _Written By: Windbritsle_**

 ** _Edited By: Naturethorn_**

* * *

Nightpaw woke up to darkness. She blinked rapidly and furrowed her whiskers, trying to remember what happened. _There was… a huge leaf-wrap, the color of wheat and hay… A twoleg… No,_ two _twolegs… So dark, so dark inside the leaf-wrap… I'm captured!_ She flinched with wide eyes at the realization and sat up, only to bang her head against something hard. Narrowing her eyes to gather light, she could barely make out branches of shiny mesh, silver, the color of Fuzzball's fur. _Why Fuzzball, not Moonpaw?_ She wondered. Shaking the thought from her head, she crouched and started pondering, her head working harder than a hive of bees. _I need to get out of here. Are there any exits?_ She looked around. _...No good. All silver branches._ She pressed a paw against one piece and tried to put pressure on it; it refused to budge. _Can I squeeze out?_ She measured the openings with her whiskers. _A little too narrow._ She tried pushing the branches with her shoulder; but again, it was as solid as a boulder.

 _I'm trapped._ She thought grimly after more attempts at escaping. _Now I can only wait for a cat to rescue me… If they ever come._ She sighed and tucked her paws under her chest. Best that she preserves her energy until help arrives.

* * *

On the other side of the forest, Icestar was loping over grass and through bushes, an angry Fuzzball right at his tail. "I don't need you to escort me. Plus, you're in front of me." The tom hissed to the older. Icestar, however, just cast Fuzzball a dirty look, like he was looking at a pile of carrion, picked on by crows. The younger just rolled his eyes and bit his lower lip, giving the rest of the walk room for silence. Finally, Icestar burst out in anger, "I _knew_ you were no good! I trusted you, and you, you-" He seemed at a loss of words for a while. "... we lost three members, you traitor! _Three!_ " Fuzzball just narrowed his eyes. _Icestar knows its not true._ He thought. _Why does he blame me? I did nothing wrong._ He wanted to stop thinking, but his mind refused and kept piecing the puzzle together. _He has been bitter towards me since the very beginning…_ Then, a crazy and frightening hypothesis came to his mind. _What if… What if… I heard, or saw, or knew something… That I wasn't supposed to?_ Suddenly, everything fit into place. Icestar's word with him when he was first there, Leaftail and Grassheart's fighting without punishment, how Icestar always sneers at him, how he accused Fuzzball for leading the twolegs, his urgent exile, and lastly the death of Yellowdawn blamed on him…

His eyes widened in realization. Icestar is trying, very hard, to get him out of the clan! _But why?_ He silently questioned. _What have I to offer that makes the clan leader so desperate?_

That was when the yowl from a twoleg followed by a screech of a cat tore him from his thoughts.

* * *

Nightpaw hung on to the hairless paw like it was the last piece of prey in the entire world. The twoleg had somehow made the place lighted, and pulled away a section of her prison after fiddling with what seemed like a really large piece of silver hard-branch fruit. One twoleg stuck their paw in, and Nightpaw snapped her jaws on one outstretched toe and bit with all her strength. The twoleg let out a startled scream, and pulled his paw out. She struggled and clawed the smooth skin with all fours, her eyes wild. The twoleg roared in rage and pain and brought his other paw down on her spine hard. The apprentice let out a eerie caterwaul and was slammed to the ground. The twoleg quickly pinned her down with a hind leg. Unable to attack through all the paw-cover fur, the black she-cat repeatedly let out cries in hopes of getting help. She heard the twolegs pass a few rapid murmurs. _"Quite the feisty one." "I wonder if anyone would pay for a dangerous black cat?"_ One of the twolegs looked at her, making the she-cat unsettled. _"Look at her fur. Not one out of place. Her eyes are beautiful, too. If no rich wants her, the catfighters would want her."_

 _"All right. I hope we didn't do all this for nothing."_ Nightpaw did not know what the twolegs were saying, but judging from the twisted grins on their flat, furless faces, she knew it would probably be not very pleasant.

And at her despairing moment, help came.

With a screech of rage, Fuzzball charged through the open door to the box-den and jumped at the other twoleg, his claws raking down its hind leg. The twoleg let out a scream, and he flailed his leg, trying to swing the silver tabby off. The other twoleg just watched on with Nightpaw under his hind paws, letting out yowls. _"Don' kill it, Rudd! 'Tis one good lookin' feline!"_ Then he reached out and tried to grab the tom. "Icestar!" The former kittypet let out a wail. "We need you!"

* * *

Hollyflower crouched outside her den, her eyes fixed on the swirling clouds. Her mind traveled to everything she saw and knew. _Please._ She bit her lower lip as her head fixed on a single cat: Icestar. _Please, don't make any more mistakes, Icefur!_

* * *

The leader, hearing the cry, hesitantly stalked up, then after a moment of freezing in his tracks, he made up his mind and leapt at the twoleg pinning Nightpaw. In a moment of panic, the twoleg tried to balance, glancing around while Nightpaw let out a pained whimper before darkness swamped over her. "Nightpaw!" Fuzzball caterwauled in fury after hearing a crack, clearly coming from the direction of Nightpaw. Icestar, on the other paw, had nearly died from fear. _No, no, no…_ His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and he bit with all his might. The twoleg let loose a wail of agony, flung Icestar off and made for the exit, nearly stepping on the helpless apprentice. The other twoleg shouted in anger at seeing his partner escape, and ran away alongside.

After staggering on his paws for a while, Fuzzball hurried to his fellow apprentice's side. She was unconscious, a small pool of blood gathered around her mouth. Her shining black fur was ruffled and rubbed backwards in some places, and she had a irregular jutting from her hide. Icestar stood beside him, letting the tom examine the she-cat. "We've got to take her back…" The older tom suggested faintly, lost at what to do. Fuzzball shook his head. "Don't you see?" He whispered softly, his sorrowful eyes betraying his feelings. "It's a internal injury." The tom leapt to his paws. "Herbs won't do it." He meowed. "She needs a medicine two-no, housefolk. Or as we _kittypets_ call it," He turned to the ThunderClan leader, his eyes anger-filled at the twolegs and Icestar. "...A veterinarian."

* * *

Moonpaw woke up with bright lights all around her. Her shoulder stung like a thousand bees were stinging it, but she hardly noticed as she was busy trying to learn where she was. She could barely remember charging into the twolegplace, then… she remembered with a pang. _I was sent flying by a monster!_ She nearly burst with fear. She was not in a natural place! There were mini suns all around her, pointing towards her, but there was something mushy yet sturdy at the same time on her hurt shoulder. She turned her head in hopes of licking it off, but frowned when she saw that there was some sort of soft, white bark in the way. _Might as well wait until I'm healed,_ she thought bitterly.

In front of her were two bowls, one of which was filled with stale-smelling, metallic water, and the other smelling like nothing but looking suspiciously like rabbit droppings. _Is that kittypet food Fuzzball told me about?_ She wondered and carefully rolled a piece in her mouth. As soon as she tasted it, she spat it out. It tasted _horrible!_ Like chewing on a clump of dirt after bathing it in monster scent. _I would really like some fresh-kill right now…_ She thought, sighing and licking her lips. Suddenly, movement caught her eye and she stilled. In front of her, a twoleg walked past, pushing something resembling a huge, boxy spider with a pile of limp black fur on top. She narrowed her eyes, then before the thought had completely processed, she realized that she had yowled out loud.

 _"Nightpaw!?"_


	9. To Execute Your Plan

_***Stands of cliff with serious face and balled fists, wves raging in background* I SHALL TAKE MATTERS INTO MY OWN HANDS! I AM A RESPONSIBLE TEENAGER, AND SHALL MANAGE BY MYSELF UNTIL I FIND NATURETHORN! ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MEEEEE!**_

 _ **(Speaking of which, for four years in my life I've always thought "round of applause" was actually "rattlepaws"...)**_

 _ **Just realized that there are line breaks here, too.**_

 _ **Whatever.**_

 _ **Enjoy, and review!**_

* * *

 _ **Written By:**_ **Naturethorn**

 _ **Edited By:**_ **Windbritsle**

* * *

Nightpaw felt her eyes flicker open to see Moonpaw standing above her, harsh lights surrounding her. "I'm sorry I slept late. I was just so.." But then Nightpaw remembered that she was not safe at the camp anymore. Her kidnapping, the rescue by Fuzzball, and vague clips of conversation came rushing back to her like the torrent of a rushing waterfall. "Nightpaw? Are you alright?" Moonpaw's eyes, now filled with worry, brought Nightpaw back to the present. "Yeah, I'm fine.. I think," She responded weakly, her flank throbbing in pain. "We need to get out of here." Nightpaw urged through gritted teeth, trying to pull herself to her paws, her ribs burning in pain. She immediately collapsed onto her injured flank, sending fresh blossoms of burning pain throughout her body. "You know what, maybe we can do that later..." The pitch-black cat suggested, her eyes slowly closing as sleep threatened to overcome her. Before she was engulfed in darkness, she thought she saw a second Moonpaw… _No, that's Fuzzball!_ The she-cat thought with a mental wail. The tom was entering the room on a strange metal board. _Not another one…_ Nightpaw thought dimly as her eyes forced themselves shut.

* * *

"Fuzzball? What are you doing here!?" Moonpaw asked frantically, already beginning to panic. She flopped back down on her platform as he was carried across the room to yet another flat surface where he was gently placed by a pair of twolegs. As she struggled back to her paws to meet him, he sprang up lithely to his toes. "Don't worry, I'm fine! It's part of my plan. I was just faking it to get in here," Fuzzball assured her. "So how is Nightpaw getting along? Is she better?" The tom inquired, his fur regaining its usual fluff. "Yeah, I guess, but she doesn't seem to be quite ready yet…"

"Oh, and what happened to you?" Fuzzball asked. At this, Moonpaw's eyes froze over like the surface of a lake during leaf-bare. "That's none of your business," She started, her tone numb and icy, "But I'll have you know that I'm alright." As she finished speaking, the sound of loud, clumsy twoleg footsteps joined the background noise. "Quick, act injured!" Moonpaw warned Fuzzball as he scrambled in panic back onto his silver platform. Several twolegs in loose white pelts came in, taking the silver platform and pushing out of the open door. Moonpaw watched Fuzzball as he was wheeled away through her eyes, open at thin slits. She sighed, knowing she would be spending a few long suns alone with Nightpaw.

* * *

Time passed quickly, and her daily activity was simple, yet somehow, not quite luxurious. The food was bland, the water stale. Nightpaw was only awake for small periods of time, though she was awake just long enough to inform Moonpaw of how her ribs and flank were getting better. The same white-pelted twolegs would come and go regularly, taking their food stones and filling them with different, stranger tasting pellets. However, despite the strange food they were being given and their lack of sunlight, Moonpaw could see the lank, fitt Nightpaw put on a few pounds each day. Her fur was also carefully groomed each day with stone-hard spikes. She sighed, wondering where Fuzzball was and how he was faring. She realized she really cared about him, now that she finally knew for sure that he was her brother.

A few days later, when she was finally sure she could absolutely bear this lazy life no longer, Fuzzball was once again wheeled in on the silver platform. After a while, when the twolegs all headed out, he energetically leapt to his paws. "Hey! Are you ready to go back?" He enthusiastically began. "There are some cats waiting outside to get you two. Are you coming?" Moonpaw glanced anxiously at Nightpaw, who was still asleep, although the hard, white leaf that was wrapped around her body had been removed a few days earlier. "Yeah, I guess. Let me just wake up Nightpaw…" Moonpaw said, padding over to where Nightpaw had fallen asleep on the floor. She nudged her gently, carefully avoiding her ribs and flank, which Nightpaw had stated was sore, but much better. "Hey, Nightpaw. Ready to leave?" She asked the jet-black she-cat. Nightpaw simply rolled over onto her back, exposing her belly. Moonpaw, losing her calm demeanor, yowled, "Nightpaw! The evil twolegs are coming back!" At this, Nightpaw flinched, darting to her paws. "Where? Where?!" She said, glancing around, her eyes wide with fear. As she did this, the realization dawned on her. "You mouse-brain! You could've made the other twolegs come in here!" She snapped, annoyed. Fuzzball watched this with a small smirk. "Come on, there's an escape window in the next room over." He said, pointing in the correct direction with his tail.

The silver tabby tom lead them to the next room, where they waited for some yowling twolegs to leave the room as they slipped by a calico. The three cats quietly made their way into the room, careful to not draw the attention of the collared cat. "Hey, you three. Where are you going?" The green-eyed she-cat asked, a grin on her face. She twitched his ear, which was ripped in half. "Hey," Fuzzball began nervously. "I've haven't seen you around the twolegplace before… Are you new?"

"Yes, I'm new, and I haven't seen _you_ around before, so you better get out of my territory before I rip you in half." Fuzzball's eyes grew wide as he backed away from the cat, straying behind the two trained apprentices. Nightpaw's eyes flashed in defiance, but Moonpaw simply said, "We're sorry for the inconvenience, but we're just passing through." The group of cats were careful not to betray any sign fear as they made their way around the arrogant she-cat. They finally reached the opening to outside in the room with no incidents but the cat, and carefully made their to underneath it. "Fuzzball, can you make the leap? You should be able to do it," Moonpaw said, gesturing for him to the front of the group so that he would have a better angle. At Moonpaw's word, the silver tabby crouched, bending his hind legs, then exploding upwards, taking a flying leap into the air. He twisted around in midair several times before managing to get a grip on the opening. Fuzzball dug his claws into the hard, dark wood, scrabbling with his hind legs to pull himself up. With a final thrust, he lunged upwards and made it through, faceplanting into the dank soil. "Ok, Nightpaw next," He said preparing himself to help lift her up through the opening.

The black she-cat crouched down, wincing slightly at the usage of the stiff, unexercised muscles. She blinked rapidly for a few moments, then gathering her courage and gritting her teeth, she launched herself into the air. She immediately let out a yowl of pain as her injured chest muscles flexed underneath her sleek black pelt, but clamped her teeth shut, knowing that any more noise would bring twolegs. Nightpaw's claws missed the sill of the opening, but not Fuzzball, who was poised to help her up. She dug her claws into the ivy vine which he had dropped down, careful not to snap the delicate stem. "Don't worry, I'll help!" Moonpaw called from below as Nightpaw felt her hind paws grip purchase on something furry. "Throw yourself up!" She added, bracing herself for Nightpaw to push all her weight against her newly healed ribs. Squeezing her eyes shut in a final act of desperation, Nightpaw pushed with all her force against Moonpaw's back while clawing the rest of her way of the vine.

When she was finally within reach of the wooden edge, she dug her claws in and easily pulled herself up. She gasped at what she had done during her uncontrolled flails in the air. Across Fuzzball's face were three long but shallow claw marks. They stretched from the base of his ear to the tip of nose. "I'm so sorry, Fuzzball! We have to get that to Cherrywhiskers!" Nightpaw exclaimed, forgetting immediately about Moonpaw. "Oh, it's fine for now. They aren't very deep and don't hurt much," He answered, flicking his ear dismissively. The two arguing cats were interrupted as Moonpaw leapt gracefully from the floor beside them. "Thanks for the help," She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "It didn't really look like you needed it," Nightpaw retorted, eyes flashing with amusement, though was that rage Moonpaw saw? "Calm down, both of you. There's no need to be fighting!" Fuzzball said, trying to end the exchange, not knowing that the apprentices had no ill meaning. "And anyways, we should be getting to the warriors. They're waiting for us just beyond the hill," Fuzzball began, just as the leader of ThunderClan suddenly appeared and barreled into him, pinning him down.


	10. Hiatus Note

**_So, many are wondering as to why I haven't updated in a long time._**

 ** _You see, my laptop charger broke down, and my parents are outta the country, and my grandparents can't drive, and neither can I. (First hint to my age in FanFiction ever... I'm NOT old enough to drive. Far below it. However, I'm still cramming fiercely for the SAT, and yet again I do not need to do that, because I'm not taking it for another few or one year(s). If you can guess my age, you get a personalized Warriors one-shot...)_**

 ** _So, yeah, this post is coming through my friend's computer at her house._**

 ** _As for when the next update will be... I'm really not certain. But rest assured, it WILL be before October._**

 ** _I know, I know. I'm such a stuck-up._**

 ** _...Bai._**

 ** _I LOVE YOU, ALL READERS WHO HAVE STUCK WITH ME! I'M SOOOO SORRY!_**


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